What a crock of kaka !

Both modern H&H and Purdey build guns with modern steel technology, both use CNC and CAD technology to make actions and parts and have been doing so for some time.

Final finish and fitting is still done by master craftsmen, actioneers, barrel makers and stock fitters. And those who work there can and do still go by title as apprentice to, or master craftsman to....

Mechanically they are sound a houses and what seems to elude all here is that they hold the patents gentlemen.

They ( the english gunamkers) collectively designed all the actions now used and copied by all mentioned.

So quite frankly I do not know where this notion comes from that a modern best English double is in any way inferior to anything out there, especially coming from the USA!

As to financial backing, some may not know but H&H is owned by Chanel and Purdey by Vendome Luxury PLC.

Vendome is host to a myriad of companies including Cartier, fashion houses and perfumiers such a Chloe. The parent companies of Vendome include Rothmans Tobacco and Dunhill.

South African Johan Rupert son of Anton Rupert of the corporate giant Rembrandt group is financial director of Vendome.